Breaking News: The 5th Dimension–The Complete Soul City/Bell Singles 3CD Set!
In celebration of The 5th Dimension legacy’s 50 year anniversary, REAL GONE MUSIC proudly presents the most comprehensive 5th Dimension collection ever assembled! And here’s a special autograph offer*…
All four living members (Florence LaRue, Marilyn McCoo, Billy Davis, Jr. and LaMonte McLemore) of The 5th Dimension have signed 28 copies of this set. REAL GONE MUSIC is going to take orders until 12:00 pm PST this Monday December 19, 2016 and then select the winners randomly. If you do not receive an autographed version you will get a $5 coupon good for your next order from Real Gone Music!
*PRE-ORDER NOW AT THIS LINK:
About “The Complete Soul City/Bell Singles”:
- Back in 1966, Florence LaRue, Marilyn McCoo, Billy Davis, Jr., LaMonte McLemore, and Ron Townson Began Making Beautiful Music Together, and Pop-Soul Music Has Never Been the Same
- The Complete Soul City/Bell Singles 1966-1975 Presents All the Singles the Group Recorded for the Soul City and Bell Labels, Plus Their First Single (as The Versatiles) for the Bronco Label and Their Lone Single Release for Arista
- Three Compact Discs and 61 Tracks of Swinging, Soulful Harmonies, Brilliant Arrangements, Groundbreaking Production, and Some of the Best Songwriting to Come Out of the ‘60s and ‘70s
- Includes 30 Pop and 15 R&B Hits, All in Their Hard-to-Find Mono Single Mixes Including Some Rare Non-LP Sides and Single Edits
- Features Such Legendary Recordings as “Up—Up and Away,” “Stoned Soul Picnic,” “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In,” “Wedding Bell Blues,” “One Less Bell to Answer,” “(Last Night) I Didn’t Get to Sleep at All,” and “If I Could Reach You”
- Features Production by the Great Bones Howe, Vocal Arrangements by Industry Legend Bob Alcivar, and Instrumental Accompaniment by the Famed Wrecking Crew
- Includes the Songs (e.g. “Up—Up and Away,” “Stoned Soul Picnic”) That Brought the Songwriting Brilliance of Jimmy Webb and Laura Nyro to the Masses
- Exquisitely Remastered by Mark Wilder at Battery Studios
- Exclusive Liner Quotes from Florence LaRue, Billy Davis, Jr., Marilyn McCoo, LaMonte McLemore
- Housed Inside a Beautiful 8-Panel Digipak Festooned with Rare Photos
- The Summit of Sunshine Pop-Soul!
This Collection features these songs:
Disc : 1
1. You’re Good Enough for Me
2. Bye Bye Baby
3. I’ll Be Lovin’ You Forever
4. Train Keep On Movin’
5. Go Where You Wanna Go
6. Too Poor to Die
7. Another Day, Another Heartache
8. Rosecrans Blvd.
9. Up Up & Away
10. Which Way to Nowhere
11. Paper Cup
12. Poor Side of Town
13. Carpet Man
14. The Magic Garden
15. Stoned Soul Picnic
16. The Sailboat Song
17. Sweet Blindness
18. Bobbie’s Blues (Who Do You Think Of?)
19. California Soul
20. It’ll Never Be the Same Again
Disc : 2
1. Aquarius/Let the Sun Shine In (The Flesh Failures)
2. Don’t Cha Hear Me Callin’ to Ya
3. Workin’ on a Groovy Thing
4. Broken Wing Bird
5. Wedding Bell Blues
6. Lovin’ Stew
7. Blowing Away
8. Skinny Man
9. The Declaration
10. A Change Is Gonna Come/People Gotta Be Free
11. The Girls’ Song
12. Puppet Man
13. A Love Like Ours
14. Save the Country
15. Dimension 5ive
16. On the Beach (In the Summertime)
17. This Is Your Life
18. One Less Bell to Answer
19. Feelin’ Alright?
20. Love’s Lines Angles & Rhymes
21. The Singer
Disc : 3
1. Light Sings
2. Viva Tirado
3. Never My Love
4. Together Let’s Find Love
5. I Just Wanna Be Your Friend
6. (Last Night) I Didn’t Get to Sleep at All
7. The River Witch
8. If I Could Reach You
9. Tomorrow Belongs to the Children
10. Living Together Growing Together
11. What Do I Need to Be Me
12. Everything’s Been Changed
13. There Never Was a Day
14. Ashes to Ashes
15. Flashback
16. Diggin’ for a Livin’
17. Harlem
18. My Song
19. No Love in the Room
20. I Don’t Know How to Look for Love
Special thanks to Gordon Anderson, president of Real Gone.
Please note: FOREVER 5th DIMENSION will have an exclusive Q & A with Gordon, coming soon, this holiday season!
–Robert-Allan Arno
(Forever 5th Dimension, A production of The Soul of the Voice, Ltd., all rights reserved, copyright ’08-2016)
McLemore adds,”It’s definitely the right time to present ‘Cease Fire’ as a fully-actualized song and in fact, my producer/arranger Lloyd Tolbert encouraged me to bookend the recording with my spoken-word narration.” The beloved star continues, “Years ago when the term ‘weapons of mass destruction’ was heavily in the news and it turned out they really didn’t exist, it became a light bulb moment for me. I thought, perhaps they did…as in ‘look in the mirror, friends!'” McLemore feels, “More than ever, ‘Cease Fire’ is what the world needs today.” He’s quick to stress his song’s concept is a “global call for world peace,” envisioning it as kind of nouveau “We Are the World.” Performed on the CD single by the sweet-soul vocalist Julio Hanson, along with McLemore’s spoken narrative, “Cease Fire” is a mighty anthem.
No stranger to anthems of a generation, McLemore and The 5th Dimension are responsible for mega hits like the uplifting “Up-Up and Away” and the unifying “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In,” the latter, a medley from Broadway’s HAIR. Spending 6-straight weeks at #1 in the spring of ‘69, the Platinum “mash-up” is known as one of the biggest hits of the Rock n’ Roll era. “Cease Fire” isn’t McLemore’s first foray into songwriting. Fan favorites, “A Love Like Ours” and “The Singer” were penned by LaMonte and appeared on the quintet’s seminal albums PORTRAIT and LOVE’S LINES, ANGLES AND RHYMES, respectively. Besides The 5th Dimension, the latter tune was also recorded by Gladys Knight and the Pips and was a serious recording consideration for Frank Sinatra. More recently, another McLemore composition, “If I Could Fly” was a contender for a major airline’s ad campaign. Mr. McLemore, also a world renowned photographer of 5 decades for JET magazine’s history-shaping “Beauty of the Week” feature, expressed to his biographer, “With my photos, I just see things. With songwriting, I just feel things.”
“Cease Fire” is available for download at: 
Visit Florence LaRue & The 5th Dimension at: www.
Visit Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr. at their official FB page or at 
Visit LaMonte McLemore on FB, Twitter or Linked-In
Get the exciting (2nd edition) hit memoir, by McLemore & Arno, FROM HOBO FLATS to THE 5TH DIMENSION, recommended by McCoo/Davis, Sedaka, Mathis and Nancy Sinatra at: 
FOREVER 5th DIMENSION is so pleased to celebrate the 47th wedding anniversary of Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr., those forever fresh “sweethearts of Pop n’ Soul.” Touring to the best reviews of their career with both sizzling concert evenings and special Broadway-like “Up-Up and Away–a musical fable” extravaganzas, these 7-time Grammy winners are timeless treasures in our lives. How do we count the ways? How about a retrospective featuring our recent favorite interview with the dynamic duo and links to some FOREVER 5th DIMENSION duet rarities from our popular YouTube channel…plus select fan greetings AND a gracious note from “MarBill,” themselves. Oh, and exclusive on-stage photos from Theater at Westbury this past June! Join us, as we honor Marilyn and Billy…and all the love, harmony, and artistic excellence they stand for. —Robert-Allan Arno
Fave Q & A:
“You Make Me Feel Brand New”–With over 135 THOUSAND views, this has become a bona fide YouTube hit, from the duo’s recent THE MANY FACES OF LOVE project. We proudly note, our FOREVER 5th production of the tune was chosen to play on-screen in introducing Marilyn & Billy as they accepted the prestigious Gordon Parks award. Link: 
“I Hope We Get to Love in Time, Live”–Ultra-rare, we remastered this from the beloved “Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr. Show.” The first African-American married couple to have their own variety series, this “live” version of the title tune from Marilyn & Billy’s first duet album is adored by fans, courtesy of JuneBug Productions. And there’s a bonus…wait to the end and hear the show’s closing tune, “The Two of Us” (and try not to shed a sentimental tear!) Link: 
“Soul and Inspiration, Un-vaulted”–As lead singers of The Original 5th Dimension, by ’74 producer Bones Howe wanted to open the album of the same title not only with a Marilyn & Billy duet, but with a retro feel. The actual disc featured a different mix and solely Billy doing the “recitation”…we got the OK to release from the vaults a taste of the original…more horns, and more so, Marilyn complimenting Billy, beautifully in her spoken word response. Approved by “MarBill” themselves, we’ll call this a gem! Link: 
“Praise Ye The Lord”–From Billy’s Gospel project, re-issued as “The Love of God,” Marilyn is “special guest” on a song that the duo performed for Pope John Paul II. This inspirational recording has become an Easter perennial for fans, yet is a faith-based song for all seasons. Link: 
“I’m So Glad I Found You”–Part Motown homage a la Marvin & Tammi, part Jazzy note-bending call & response with a tip of the hat to Marilyn’s roots with the Hi-Fi’s and Billy’s on the early eclectic club scene. “I’m So Glad…” had previously only appeared as a flip-side to the single “I Hope We Get to Love In Time,” circa ’76 and resurfaced as a bonus to the expanded re-issue of Marilyn & Billy’s second duet album, “The Two of Us.” By fan request, we produced this “goodie” for FOREVER 5th. Link: 
John Howton
Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr. who by the way, will be celebrating 47 years of marriage this coming July, are happily touring with both their acclaimed concerts plus special Broadway-like retrospective, “Up, Up and Away–a Musical Fable.” By fan request, East coast appearance dates this spring!
Florence LaRue & The 5th Dimension (Patrice Morris, Willie Williams, Leonard Tucker and Floyd Smith) sell out vast crowds wherever they take the stage with their exciting evening of harmonious n’ hip “Champagne Soul.” The timeless Florence is celebrating 50 years with The 5th! And just in–they’ll be performing in the Philippines this May!
It’s a “Great Golden Day!” New, from the FOREVER 5th DIMENSION YouTube page, our production of the retro Coca Cola jingle circa ’68…very much in the genre of the “Stoned Soul Picnic” album, The 5th’s unmatched style, shining even in commercial form with a Bossa Nova feel, is addictive all these years later! Take a listen & look at: 
Patrice says!: Here’s a lovely reflection from soprano Patrice Morris about being a member of The 5th Dimension, today and working with the legendary Florence LaRue: “I’m so blessed to work with some of the most talented, spirit-filled people. The beautiful Ms. Florence LaRu
Remembering Frank, Jr.: And sadly, we mourned the untimely passing of Frank Sinatra, Jr. Marilyn & Billy stated, “The Sinatra family was always so kind to The 5th Dimension, and we enjoyed working with Frank, Jr. on a number of occasions. His incredible musical gift will be missed along with his special sense of humor.” Plus, LaMonte and myself extended our condolences to our kind friend, Nancy Sinatra. Recently, Florence & The 5th Dimension guest-starred at the the Frank Sinatra 100th Year Gala, signifying the group’s ongoing connection to the Sinatra legacy…as we all continue to pray for the family.
Breaking News: Forever 5th Dimension is saddened by the untimely passing of music legend, Prince. Our prayers for his family and sympathies to his legions of fans. Marilyn & Billy state: “Prince’s impact on music will long be felt. He opened new doors, created new sounds. As well, the world has been seeing so many amazing stories about Prince–the person. What a beautiful heart he had. Long live his influence!” And fans 
FOREVER 5TH DIMENSION 
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